jena holding a cup of tea sitting on a porch swing with trees and plants around, gazing out

Holistic Doula Support

Inviting you to an empowered pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience that transcends your expectations.

No one should have to navigate these life-changing transitions alone.

As your doula, I’m an experienced guide, providing you with emotional, physical, informational, and advocacy support every step of the way. I integrate birth work, yoga, and meditation, helping you to connect with your breath, body, and baby.

Jena is wearing a white tee shirt and mustard yellow sweater with a blue necklace. Her hair is down and she is smiling, she is standing in front of a dark green wall of bamboo.

I’m a holistic doula, yoga teacher, and mother to a hilarious, free-spirited little human.

When I became pregnant in 2018, my doula was essential in helping me prepare for and envision a birth where I felt empowered and informed.

After a transformative home birth, I became captivated with all things birth. I’ll never forget how deeply I felt cared for by my doula and midwife. My birth and my experiences during the childbearing year inspired me to become a doula. I strive for everyone to feel as supported as I did during my birth and postpartum.

I bring over 13 years of experience in yoga and meditation to my holistic doula approach. As I’ve integrated both doula work and yogic practices, I’ve been able to help new parents transcend their ideas of pregnancy and birth and embrace their inner power and intuition.

I am passionate about co-creating a more sustainable and just world where everyone thrives. Whoever you are, and wherever you desire to give birth, I am here to celebrate and support you.

You can usually find me immersed in a book or art project, cooking up a vegan dish, or out in nature with my daughter. 

Hi, I’m   Jena

My Offerings

a doula demonstrating the TENS unit to partners, letting them test it out on their forearms

The childbearing year can feel overwhelming and uncertain. I believe that everyone deserves attuned, inclusive, person-centered care. As your doula, I’m here beside you providing reassurance, resources, and calm.

Full Spectrum Doula Support

image of a pregnant person with long dreadlocks in a white tank top and loose black and white leaf patterned pantson a yoga mat outside in triangle pose, gazing up to the sky

Yoga & Meditation

Reconnect with your inner power and primal wisdom by integrating yoga into your journey. The practices I share help you connect to your baby, body, and breath and equip you with resilience for the new terrain ahead.

image of a placenta with umbilical cord folded onto it in the shape of a heart

Placenta Encapsulation

The placenta nourishes your baby in the womb, and can also nourish, replenish, and revitalize you during your postpartum recovery. Placenta art is a beautiful and unique keepsake.

Testimonials

  • Working with Jena was an extraordinary experience and I genuinely cannot (and don't want to!) imagine what my birth experience would have been like without her support. Jena has a tremendous amount of knowledge, care, and attunement and is an absolute superhuman. She was a source of calm and comfort when things got tense and it was wonderful having Jena as an advocate helping me to navigate intervention decisions. She even documented the precious birth moments by taking photos that I treasure so much. I am extremely grateful for Jena.

    Jacquie

  • Having Jena as my doula was so nice! She was supportive and exactly what I needed. Getting her help with the birth plan made me consider all sorts of things I hadn't before. Her energy was perfect and kept me calm through the final days of my pregnancy. When she arrived for my home birth, I was so happy to see her. Her words of encouragement and suggestions on movements were super helpful. Everything she brought to the table was perfect. I am so happy I was introduced to Jena and will definitely try to keep her in my life. And if there happens to be another pregnancy, she'll definitely be asked to be my doula again.

    Vicky

  • Jena was able to get us the birth experience we always wanted, after a very traumatic 1st birth that ended in an emergency C section. I wanted a VBAC more than anything, and when Jena and I met I instantly knew she would help me with the birth experience I wanted. She worked with me throughout the pregnancy and especially in those last couple weeks when it was the hardest. She came over to help me with stretches and different positions. Jena was always available for emotional support, and when I started to feel defeated, she stayed positive. The calming presence she had at my birth helped me give birth to a 9lb 12oz baby unmedicated; I couldn't have done it without her support. She made my birth experience something my husband and I will never forget. So much love for this woman!

    Maddie

  • Jena absolutely exceeded my expectations! She was there for me for my entire pregnancy and right there for every step during my labor and even postpartum. She brought a calm, loving presence to my home birth. She came prepared with a tens unit, essential oils, teas, and other coping techniques. Jena was able to give me different positions to try during labor and was always there to rub my back and cheer me on. I truly don't know if I would have had the strength to have a home birth without her. She made my dream birth come true and for that, I will forever be grateful. I highly recommend Jena to not only help you through birth but also give you the birth experience that every woman deserves.

    Jeani

  • Working with Jena has been a blessing through this pivotal chapter of life. Jena came to me highly recommended by someone I trusted. She was there for me emotionally when other people could not relate. And physically, her expertise as a yoga teacher helped prepare me for a smooth labor and delivery. What was most valuable was having someone knowledgeable to discuss plans for my end of pregnancy care, birth plan and plans for early postpartum. She held the vision of my birth plan for me when I got anxious and discouraged, and gave me tips to move forward with the birth I wanted. Ultimately, I had an unmedicated birth as I had originally planned. In the delivery room, Jena was there to advocate for what I wanted with the doctors and nurses. She helped with comfort measures during labor and made sure my husband and I got a meal after birth. Jena’s thoughtful services extended beyond the birth. She encapsulated my placenta and delivered it along with some additional mementos - a gesture I deeply appreciated. Throughout the entire process, her approach was completely nonjudgmental. She is very easy to talk to and I felt comfortable being vulnerable with her. I wholeheartedly recommend Jena; her significant role in this major life transition has been invaluable and overwhelmingly a positive experience.

    Amanda

  • Jena was an absolute pleasure to work with during my pregnancy, birth and postpartum! When we decided to go to the hospital, she met us there and helped us decide if we wanted to stay or go home and continue to labor there since I wasn’t dilated as much as I had hoped and I was trying to have an unmedicated birth. We decided to go home and Jena came with us and provided us continuous support for the next 6+ hours until we decided it was time to go back to the hospital. She then stayed with us at the hospital, continuing to support both my husband and myself with information, suggestions and guidance as well as snacks! She was very knowledgeable on our options and provided unbiased benefits and risks, so we could make informed and educated decisions for us and our baby. Our birth plan morphed as we went through the labor/delivery process but she was a great resource to help us navigate the unknown and was non judgmental the entire time making us feel supported and at ease. Jena continued to follow up with us following the birth to see how we all were doing and checked in during a postpartum at home visit as well. Overall, my husband and I were so grateful we hired Jena to help us through this process as we became first time parents as she empowered us to have such a positive experience!

    Hillary

  • Jena is an incredibly caring doula. She spent as much time as we needed before I gave birth to answer all of our questions, even some we didn't know we had! I loved the various comfort items she brought to the hospital to help set a serene vibe. I loved going to her pre-natal yoga classes on Saturdays in Lakewood, they were amazing. I would recommend Jena to anyone, home or hospital birth!

    Alex

What is a doula? What do we actually do?

  • What is a doula?

    A Doula is a trained support person who provides physical, emotional, informational, and advocacy support through transformative times in life. A doula’s support can extend to partners, family, and friends of the person undergoing transformation.

    A Full-Spectrum Doula is a trained professional who offers physical, emotional, informational, and advocacy support to people during the full spectrum of pregnancy: from preconception to pregnancy to birth to abortion to miscarriage to adoption to postpartum and so on.

    The history of full-spectrum doula work precedes the more mainstream use of the term, as midwives and other community care workers have served in this role for friends, family, and people in their community across history and across cultures.

    A Birth Doula is a guide during pregnancy, helping with resources and developing your desired birth plan. Birth doulas are present to help you emotionally, physically, and informationally to prepare for upcoming labor.

    A birth doula joins you when you need support during labor, assisting you and your partner with comfort measures and tools for the duration of your labor. A birth doula provides a judgement-free perspective, information, and advocacy during pregnancy, labor, and immediate postpartum.

    A Postpartum Doula is a trained support person who provides physical, emotional, informational, and advocacy support during the postpartum period. Postpartum doulas work with parents who've had a baby sometime in the past few months, helping them to navigate the often overwhelming practical and emotional challenges of life with a newborn with more ease.

    Postpartum doulas hold space for parents as they reflect on their experience, answer questions, help with resources, and provide hands-on support with baby care and other light household tasks.

    Postpartum doulas may offer day-time or night-time in-home support. I currently offer day-time postpartum support.

What is the difference between a doula and a midwife?

  • While doulas and midwives have some overlap, they have distinctly different roles.

    Doulas provide you and your family with emotional, physical, informational, and advocacy support, during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

    Midwives are professionals who provide clinical care. They perform tasks like checking vitals, measurements, exams, etc. Many midwives also offer emotional support, information, and comfort during pregnancy and birth, but their priority is the physical health and safety of you and your baby.

    You can have doula support whether you’re birthing at home or in the hospital. You can also use midwifery care whether you’re birthing at home or at a hospital.

    Another distinction is that a doula will come to you whenever you need support during labor, and they will stay with you for the duration of your labor, whereas a midwife will typically come later in labor. If you are birthing at the hospital, the midwife is typically caring for a few people at the same time, and if there is a shift change, a new one comes in.

    One important benefit of having a doula is that we provide consistent support throughout your whole labor. Studies have shown this makes a huge difference in how you feel about your labor and birth. No matter what type of medical provider you have, it’s great to hire a doula to ensure you get the most well-rounded care.

Fill out the form to set up a free consultation where we’ll chat about what you’re looking for and how I can best support you.

You can also email me directly: Jena@JenaAshwill.com

Happy Mother’s Day 💞 🌎✨ #happymothersday #love #lovemotherearth
“Birth is a mystery. Words are not enough.” – Marie O’Connor

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